


People Always Did Like To Talk (The Ozian Chorus)

by twtd



Category: The Worst Witch (TV 2017)
Genre: F/F, I think I also get to use, Remix, Two witches in love, multiple POVs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-29
Updated: 2020-07-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:13:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25598617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twtd/pseuds/twtd
Summary: Pippa and Hecate are the lead actresses in a production of Wicked. Hecate’s a little oblivious to the chemistry between her and Pippa. Everyone else knows what’s going on.A remix of Nike_SGA’s amazing Wicked fic.
Relationships: Hardbroom/Pentangle (Worst Witch), Hecate Hardbroom/Pippa Pentangle
Comments: 14
Kudos: 89





	People Always Did Like To Talk (The Ozian Chorus)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Nike_SGA](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nike_SGA/gifts).
  * Inspired by [The World Unwraps Itself to You, Again and Again](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18400169) by [Nike_SGA](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nike_SGA/pseuds/Nike_SGA). 



> First, and most importantly, happy birthday, Nike!!!! I hope you like your present! 
> 
> Second, thank you so much to Cliotheproclaimer for betaing this and repeatedly talking me down from spoiling the surprise.
> 
> Third, can we talk about how hard it is to write in the present tense? Because damn.

“What’s going on?” Sybil asks as she slides up behind Beatrice. Beatrice nearly jumps out of her skin, throwing a guilty look over her shoulder. She’s hovering right outside of Hecate's dressing room door, much too close to be there for any innocent reason. Before she can find an excuse for her presence, there’s a wail from the other side of the door.

“But she’s a _pop star_.” Sybil’s eyes go wide and Beatrice grins. 

“They’re talking about the next Anna, well, Glinda, I suppose.” They all know that Anna is leaving their production of _Wicked_ to go off on the tour and there are already rumors flying all over the theater about who might replace her. “If they’re casting a pop star, it could be anyone. It could be _Taylor Swift_ or someone. She might be trying to get cast in the movie. I’ve heard it’s on again.”

“Everyone’s heard that.” Sybil rolls her eyes. Beatrice grins, acknowledging the absurdity but doesn’t retract her baseless speculation. 

There’s movement from the other side of the door and Beatrice and Sybil look at each other in panic. Beatrice grabs Sybil’s hand and tugs her down the hallway, fleeing the scene of the crime. They need to tell Clarice. They need to tell _everyone_.

* * *

“So it’s not Taylor Swift?” Dimity asks Ada after the performance that night. Ada gives her an incredulous look. 

“Where on earth did you hear that? Taylor Swift? My word. The girls and their rumors.” She shakes her head. “Really, Dimity, I expected better of you.”

* * *

“She went to Mountview, you know.” Dimity’s leaning against the wall, browsing through papers she brought with her entirely where she would have something to browse through while they waited for Pippa Pentangle to arrive. When she had heard ‘pop star’ and after dismissing the Taylor Swift rumor, Dimity had thought they’d find some young, barely known singer that she’d have to look up on YouTube to become familiar with, not _Pippa Pentangle_ , who dominated the charts whenever she released a new single and had more awards than she probably knew what to do with. Never mind the legions of adoring fans who would obviously sell out her run in the musical. 

Hecate’s glaring, but that’s not unexpected. Hecate’s very good at glaring. It stopped bothering Dimity a long time ago.

“I just mean that she is properly trained, and all that. I thought that’d be important to you. It’s not like they just grabbed her off of _Britain's Got Talent_ and shoved her into the West End.” She flicks her eyes up to see if Hecate’s going to react to anything she just said. Hecate is still glaring. Right then. “Not that there’s anything necessarily wrong with that.” It’d be a hell of a lark if they _did_ just grab someone off of BGT. As a publicity stunt, though, it has to rank below getting an actual icon on stage across from sourpuss over there.

Hecate is somehow glaring even harder. “Why are you even here?” she snaps. 

Snapping, like glaring, doesn’t faze Dimity. She’s suffered worse than a curt comment from an actress. If things like that bothered her, she’d have fled the theater long before they actually put her in charge of anything. 

“Just introducing myself while I’ve got a minute.” Dimity finally looks up from her papers. 

“Oh, god. You’re a fan.” Hecate practically clutches at her own face and Dimity has never quite seen that expression outside of an anime. 

“I like her music! So what? And I’m looking forward to seeing what she’s like in the part!” Dimity crosses her arms across her chest. She doesn’t have to defend herself to the likes of Hecate Hardbroom. It’s entirely within her rights as stage manager to be at the rehearsal to get to know her newest co-worker. “You were going to have to get used to someone else eventually anyway.” 

Before Hecate can respond, the door opens and a bright pink tornado comes bursting in. Dimity wishes she had some popcorn because she’s certain whatever is about to go down between Hecate and her new partner will be worth charging admission to. Maybe she should pass that idea along to the producers. Probably too late now though. 

“I’m so sorry! The traffic was bloody awful,” are the first words out of Pippa’s mouth, and really Dimity wishes they had been something a bit more memorable. When people ask her how she’d met Pippa in the future, when she’s regaling them about her and Pippa’s great love affair (don’t tell Julie), a complaint about the traffic doesn’t make for a great story. Pippa is still going on about the traffic until she’s right in front of Hecate and the whirlwind simply stops. 

“Pippa Pentangle. Lovely to meet you.” She offers Hecate her hand and Hecate freezes. Dimity isn’t sure she’s even breathing at this point. Dimity isn’t sure she’d be able to breathe if Pippa was directing all of her attention at _her_ , so she can’t really fault Hecate, though she would have thought Hecate would be above such things. When Hecate doesn’t respond, doesn’t offer her own hand, or say something, or do anything besides stare, Pippa’s hand drops. Her whole body seems to deflate, though Dimity only notices it because she’s watching the scene very closely. Dimity is metaphorically on the edge of her seat waiting for Hecate to respond in some way when the door bursts open again and Ada rushes in, spoiling the whole thing. Still, the rehearsal is only just starting, maybe she’ll need that popcorn after all.

* * *

“Ah, good, you found us,” Ada calls out as she hurries into the rehearsal space grinning as if the weird atmosphere in the room doesn’t even register. The pianist is right behind her, and really, would it kill the man to back up a step? Ada knows that he’s new, but there’s no need to hover. “You’ve met Hecate, then, Pippa?” 

Hecate rouses herself from whatever sort of fugue state she’s been in and manages a “Miss Pentangle,” and Ada supposes she couldn’t have expected any better. At least they aren’t at each other’s throats. Yet. Best just to power through it and keep pretending that Hecate hadn’t lobbied against this exact scenario quite vociferously several days prior. 

“Well, I must say, you do look rather well together, so that’s a start!” She herds them toward the piano and she isn’t lying. They fit the parts perfectly. All that’s missing is the green paint and Hecate is a good enough actress that she could probably pull it off without it. 

The less time they spend on pleasantries, the less time Hecate will have to be her usual, caustic self, so it’s probably best for them to get on with it. “We’ll not overdo it today,” she says as she sits and pulls out a notepad. This is only day one, so she’s keeping her expectations reasonable, but they have work to do. “Let’s just get warmed up, and we’ll run the first Shiz University scene from the top, and _Popular_ , and we’ll maybe have a go at _For Good_ to see where we might need to work on harmonizing you, and we’ll really get into it tomorrow. Sound good?” She isn’t going to give Hecate a chance to answer that question though and she jumps straight into it. “Mr. Daisy, we’ll start in A minor.”

* * *

There isn’t much that impresses Dimity anymore, but she’ll give it to Hecate and Pippa, for a first rehearsal, they’re astoundingly good together. Dimity’s been in theater long enough to know that chemistry can’t be bought, and as perturbed as Hecate had been earlier, she and Pippa have chemistry in spades. A few more rehearsals and Dimity will be buying the theory that Elphaba and Glinda are in love with each other that seems to pop up occasionally when she’s spent too much time on the internet. 

“Lovely!” Ada says as everything comes to an end and everyone starts to gather up their things. Dimity makes sure she has the papers she brought with her and shrugs on her jacket. She’s only half paying attention to the conversation between Hecate, Pippa and Ada, anxious to get home and call Julie and tell her about the rehearsal. Mildred’s in her own rehearsals for _Hairspray_ , but even she’ll be keen to know how things went today.

She looks over her shoulder to see if the other women are ready to join her in leaving the building, but they’re still talking. 

“I wouldn’t mind coming and hanging about backstage, if that’s alright? Just to get the feel of things, as long as I’m not in the way?” Pippa sounds surprisingly tentative, Dimity’s about to break into the conversation and reassure her that she’ll take care of Pippa for the night, when Ada replies.

“Just come by the Stage Door about half five. Hecate’s normally there early anyway, getting greened-up. She can show you around a bit.” So much for getting to spend a performance showing Pippa the ropes. Their grand love affair foiled and Ada completely unaware of how she’s interfering with Dimity’s destiny. Not that she’d really leave Julie, but it’s fun to think about. 

She’s also going to have to make sure Hecate doesn’t accidentally grab one of the prop spears and impale Pippa on it. That would certainly put a damper on their ticket sales. 

Then Ada takes her arm and Dimity puts the problem of Hecate and Pippa from her mind as her boss starts to question her over some small, technical mishap they’d had during the performance the night before. They walk out of the rehearsal space arm in arm leaving Hecate and Pippa behind.

* * *

They’re deep into the second act, Hecate singing _No Good Deed_ while the violinists play frenetically, when Esme finds Pippa tucked away just backstage. She’s close enough to see, but out of the way so as not to interfere with the actors going on stage and coming off again. Esme pulls up a second stool as she joins Pippa in watching Hecate. Her character is already dead, so there isn’t much left for her to do beyond wait for their curtain calls. She can’t take off her makeup or costume and it’s as good a time as any to meet their new co-lead. 

Pippa is watching Elphaba with rapt attention, as if she’s never seen the show before, which can’t possibly be true. The song ends and the spell breaks. Pippa finally looks over to Esme. 

“She’s something, isn’t she?” Esme whispers as she nods toward the wings on the other side of the stage where Hecate is currently waiting to go back on. She isn’t sure what else she might have in common with a pop star, but obviously they both admire Hecate’s performance. 

“Yes, she really is.” Even though it’s her part, Pippa doesn’t seem to be paying much attention to what’s happening on stage. She’s still watching Hecate catch her breath. 

“I know HB can be a little stand-offish, and she can really rub some people the wrong way, but she’s been a good mentor.”

“HB?” Pippa looks at Esme again as she waits for an answer to her unspoken question. 

“Just a nickname some of the cast and crew use. I don’t know where it came from. Dimity maybe? Or maybe it’s followed her from some other production. She and Dimity have worked together a couple of times. Back on _Evita_ , I think.” 

“Her Eva was…” Pippa goes back to following Hecate with her eyes. “I think the _Guardian_ called her ‘transcendent.’ I think her Elphaba is even better.”

“Yeah. I didn’t get to see her in Evita, but I’ve heard stories. You should really talk to Dimity at some point. She can give you all of the backstage gossip from that production. Some of it’s wild.” 

“Really?” Pippa smiles mischievously, clearly planning her interrogation of Dimity.

“Mmm, ask about the waltz rehearsals. Anyway, it was good talking to you. I’ll see you again in a few days, I guess.” Esme smiles at Pippa before disappearing back into the shadows to get ready for their curtain call. Pippa is back to staring at Hecate before Esme can get more than a meter away.

* * *

The studio is hot and humid from the exertions of all of the dancers. They’ve only been at it a short while, but Imogen is covered in sweat, just like everyone else likely is. Pippa and Hecate have both started tripping over their lines and tripping over their feet and it seems like nothing is going right that day. Hecate is descending into a worse and worse mood and even Pippa is having a hard time remaining cheerful. Finally, Hecate stumbles and it causes a chain reaction and then suddenly everyone is fighting to stay on their feet. 

“Don’t look at me,” Pippa finally breaks and Imogen sighs. She knew it was coming. She'd felt it building all morning. She rubs her forehead in exasperation as Pippa continues her complaint with, “I wasn’t the one who nearly tripped up the whole back line this time.” 

“You put me off.” Hecate retorts. 

“ _How?!_ ”

And it’s time for Imogen to step in and try to control the situation. “Right!” It gets both of their attention and they look at her with matched glares. She ignores them. “Let’s do it again. Just focus on the steps, we’ll worry about the acting when we’ve got those down.” She motions for the rest of the ensemble to get the hell up again where maybe they can move on from this and _accomplish_ something that day other than listening to Hecate and Pippa snip at each other for another hour. 

But they’re still glaring and standing as far apart from each other as the blocking will allow. 

“This song does not require much acting.” Pippa slams her water bottle down on the piano. Mr. Daisy visibly recoils and even Hecate winces. It isn’t like the _piano_ has done anything, but sometimes with actors and their egos, there are casualties. As long as Imogen herself isn’t one of them, and the idiots don’t come after the company, she’s content to let them have their little feud. They’ll get over it or they won’t but either way, they’re going on stage together soon, and they’ll have the damned dance steps down if Imogen has anything to say about it. 

“Let’s use this energy.” She glowers at both of them. “And just try to get through the bloody number before I murder one or both of you.” She nods at Mr. Daisy, and he starts playing, and Imogen prays that Pippa will come in where she’s supposed to without further comment.

* * *

Julie pulls the zipper of Pippa’s ball gown quickly up her back, deft fingers making sure that nothing pulls and that everything sits correctly. The bodice fits well enough. It’ll just need a few tweaks before it’s stage ready. It’s the hem that’s going to take work. It’s too long, and really, Julie thought she’d accounted for that and she’s a bit cross with herself for her measurements being off, but there’s nothing to do for it now other than hem the thing. She huffs and Pippa, who’s been fairly silent through the process so far, twists to look down at her. 

“Something wrong?” Pippa asks, and she’s much too charming as she does it. Julie's worked with a few ‘stars’ before and for the most part, she can take or leave them. But Pippa’s been nothing but polite. 

“This dress must have a hundred meters of fabric in the skirt. ‘m not looking forward to hemming it, is all.” She slides another needle through the pale blue fabric, light and slippery beneath her fingers.

“It’s a gorgeous dress.” Pippa smooths her hands over the bodice, over the sequins and jewels, carefully not disturbing any of them. She seems to know that Julie wouldn’t be pleased to have to reattach any of them. 

“It’s a pain in the arse.” Julie rolled her eyes. “But yeah, it is stunning.” 

Julie places another pin in the hem before she hears a clatter by the door. Looking up, she catches sight of Hecate. Hecate looks like someone has just punched her and isn’t that interesting. 

“Oh, hello you.” She calls out. “Gimme a sec, we’re nearly done here.” She only has a few pins left then she can see to whatever problem Hecate is having. She looks back down at the task in front of her, only to hear Hecate mumble something about coming back later. She looks up to see Hecate’s retreating back. 

“That was weird.” Pippa also looks at the open door where Hecate has just disappeared. 

“She can be like that.” Julie shrugs. “Touchy, sometimes. Like a feral cat who doesn’t know how to play well with others.”

“I’ve noticed,” Pippa replies dryly. 

“Already gotten into it with her, then? Probably won’t be the last time.” Julie looks up at Pippa as she sets aside her box of stick pins. She groans slightly as she stands up again. 

“She’s just… impossible.” Pippa huffs as she turns her back to let Julie help her out of the dress. 

“Y’know, we didn’t start off on the best of terms.” Julie pulls the zipper back down baring the skin of Pippa’s back. 

“Really?” Pippa shrugs off the dress, reaching for her street clothes as Julie puts it up on a hanger. She’ll start working on it as soon as Pippa leaves. 

“Mmm. Butted heads right off. I called her a cow. She called me a pain in the arse. But we got over it.” Julie shrugs. 

“How?” Pippa looks at Julie curiously as she pulls her leggings back on. 

Julie shrugs again. “Just took time. A couple of months. And we don’t see each other that often, so everything had some space to fizzle out.”

“I don’t have months,” Pippa says despairingly as she slips her shirt over her head and spins to look at Julie. 

“I’m sure you’ll figure it out, love.” Julie pats Pippa on the shoulder. “Anyway, we’re done here. I’ll have the dress ready for your first performance, so that’s one thing you don’t have to worry about.” She walks Pippa to the door of the costume shop. “Hecate’ll come around.”

With a nod, she sends Pippa back out into the world.

* * *

It’s her last night and Anna can’t believe it. The show is over and it’s off to new things in the morning. It doesn’t matter that it’s the same role, it’s still new and still different and she’s going to have to get used to an entirely different cast, a new Elphaba, and really, she likes her _current_ Elphaba. She’s going to miss Hecate so much, miss her caustic comments and steady presence on stage and if it’s making her a bit weepy, so be it. She sniffs and wipes her eyes as she spots Pippa’s in the crowd of revelers. They’ve all come to see her off, but she really must speak with Pippa before the night is over. She bee lines toward the other woman but as soon as she’s within a handbreadth, the tears start again. She thought she had her emotions under control but that’s a lie. 

Anna throws her arms around Pippa and hugs her and Pippa has no choice but to hug her back. 

“I know we’ve barely spent any time together, but you’re going to have a wonderful time.” She lets go of Pippa only to grasp her upper arms and rub them. “You’re going to be fabulous.” She leans back and swallows against the emotions that are rising up again. “But you’ve got to promise me, _promise_ me, that you’ll look after Hecate now I’m gone. She really isn’t as grumpy and miserable as she seems.” She hears a laugh from the people standing around her, but she doesn’t see Hecate in the immediate vicinity, which is probably for the best. Hecate wouldn’t appreciate Anna spilling her secrets like that. No, she just sees Algie and Gwen and Nathaniel, but Algie seems to have glomped on to the sentiment and he’s raising his glass for a toast. 

“The queen is dead, long live the queen!” She can’t believe him and she shrieks then starts to laugh. He really is a sweet old man, even if he is a bit dottering at times. Everyone around her is laughing too. 

She spies Hecate approaching and she throws herself into Hecate’s arms too, giving her a hug she knows Hecate is only barely tolerating, but that doesn’t matter. This might be the last time they ever see one another, and she’s not going to let Hecate go without saying goodbye properly. 

“Don’t be too sullen without me, Hec, okay?” She looks up at Hecate with wide, worried eyes. “Give Pippa a chance and I know she’ll be a great Glinda.” She doesn’t give Hecate time to respond, just pulls her into yet another hug and then lets her go. “You can run off now. I won’t stop you.” She’s blinking back tears once more and she can’t, she just can’t watch Hecate leave, so she throws herself back into the crowd. When she next turns in that direction, Hecate is gone.

* * *

“Are you alright?” Sybil hears as she slides past where Hecate is standing in the doorway of Pippa’s dressing room. Her curiosity has her slowing down. 

“Yup,” she hears Pippa say. “Nope. Terrified,” follows immediately after and Sybil’s eyes go wide. Suddenly, she’s nervous for Pippa. She was already nervous, but then she’s _always_ nervous, so that isn’t new. She just didn’t think she’d have to worry about Pippa too. She’s been fine in rehearsals, great even. Sybil’s stomach churns and she stops walking altogether. 

“Really? You’ve played to crowds ten times the size of this one.” Trust Hecate to be sensible. Hecate is always sensible. It makes Sybil feel better. 

“Not the same.” Pippa somehow sounds worse and Sybil can’t listen to this anymore. She needs to go before her own nervousness gets out of hand. She’s only playing one of the munchkins, but she could trip over her own feet or something and then the whole first half of the first act would be ruined and it would all be her fault. Nope, she needs to go. Besides, how embarrassing would it be if Hecate caught her eavesdropping? She swallows hard and starts walking again.

* * *

Esme is watching from backstage as Hecate and Pippa approach. She doesn’t say anything, doesn’t want to interrupt their conversation as Pippa gets strapped into the bubble that she’ll make her entrance in. 

“Any last words of encouragement?” Pippa asks and Esme has to admit to curiosity as to how Hecate might give a pep talk. 

“Don’t fuck it up.” Pippa’s eyes go wide and Esme does her best to check her laugh. She’s sure she sounds like she’s coughing or something, but that really is a quintessentially Hecate thing to say. 

Hecate walks over to her and Esme can’t contain her curiosity. “How is she?” She whispers.

“I think she’ll be fine.” Hecate smiles and Esme grins back at her.

* * *

“ _WE LOVE YOU, PIPPA!_ ” rings out through the theater and Esme pulls Pippa into a half hug. Pippa is hot against her, slightly sweaty, and nearly vibrating with energy. It’s contagious. It was a spectacular performance and Esme doesn’t think anyone would know it was only Pippa’s first just by watching it. She definitely didn’t fuck it up. 

Nathaniel shouts, “Drinks! We need drinks!” over the din of congratulations and Pippa laughs. 

“Drinks it is,” she says and a roar of approval goes up through the cast. After that, everyone starts to break up. There’s makeup to remove and costumes to change out of before they’re fit to be seen in public.

* * *

Chris sets himself up on the periphery of the party, close enough to Pippa to intervene if something happens, but far enough away to keep from interfering with the celebrations. Nothing quells a celebration faster than the bodyguard hovering over everything when he isn’t needed. The VIP section of Weirdsisters’ in Soho isn’t a particularly dangerous place to be, so he stands aside and watches the revelry. 

The first shot of tequila is when he knows he’s going to be pouring Pippa into the Range Rover that night. He can’t hear what she’s saying, but she’s pressed up against Hecate on a couch clearly trying to foist a second shot of tequila on the woman. From what he’s seen of Hecate, he wouldn’t think shots would be her scene, but she throws it back with aplomb and Chris is mainly impressed. Though he’s not sure if he’s impressed with how she took the shot or Pippa’s powers of persuasion. 

After the tequila, there are more g&ts than he cares to count and Pippa’s fingers are entwined with Hecate’s and Pippa’s head is on her shoulder and Chris wonders if they think they’re being at all subtle. 

Pippa can flirt like she breathes, but she isn’t exactly flirting with Hecate. More like inserting herself into Hecate’s space and expecting to be given leave to stay. So far, Hecate hasn’t kicked her out or pushed her away and Chris wonders if he’ll be driving them home together. 

After the party breaks up, he does end up driving Hecate home, but when they get to Hecate’s flat, Pippa just leaves a lingering kiss on Hecate’s cheek and lets her go. Chris wonders if either of them will remember it in the morning.

* * *

Several weeks into Pippa’s run, Gwen taps on Hecate’s dressing room door. She opens the door and pushes her head in without waiting for a response. Hecate looks up and their eyes meet in the mirror Hecate is using to touch up her green makeup. Gwen swears she sees disappointment in Hecate’s eyes, though why Hecate would be disappointed to see her, she isn’t sure. 

“They left a bit of your costume in my dressing room. Silly mistake, really.” Gwen puts the black blouse down on a side table. 

“Thank you.” Hecate nods and turns to look at Gwen, who hasn’t moved from her position blocking the door. “Did you need something else?”

“No. No.” Gwen shakes her head, turns to go and then turns back. “Well, I do want to say, I think you and Pippa are doing wonderfully together. You really seem to hit it off, haven’t you?”

“Have we?” Hecate looks at Gwen startled. 

“Mmm,” Gwen hums, a twinkle in her eye. Hopefully the two of them will realize how well they work together, but it isn’t her place to play matchmaker. Still, there’s nothing wrong with leaving a few hints. “You never know where you’ll find someone you really hit it off with. It’s going to be a shame to—“ 

“Hecate?” Pippa’s voice rings out into the space around Gwen and Gwen steps back from her position monopolizing the doorway. Hecate’s face brightens when she hears Pippa’s voice. “Oh, Gwen. Hello.” 

“Hello, Pippa.” Gwen returns the greeting but she knows when she isn’t wanted or needed. “I’ll be seeing you both,” she says without finishing her earlier thought. It _will_ be a shame when Pippa has to leave, but maybe it’s for the best that she not bring it up just yet. Yes, Hecate and Pippa have really started getting along. There’s no reason to borrow trouble.

* * *

“It’s constant,” Pippa complains as they’re all getting ready to leave for the night. Nathaniel belts his jacket around his waist in a way that he thinks looks particularly dashing. Just because Narcissa isn’t there doesn’t mean he can’t dress to impress. There’s the legions of fans waiting at the stage door, after all. Of course, most of those people are fans of _Pippa_ but that’s utterly beside the point. He dusts off his lapels and gets ready to open the door for the ladies. 

“I can’t look at a bloke without the media thinking we’re having some sort of affair.” Pippa sighs. As the other party in the current rumors, Nathaniel can only shake his head and laugh. “I bet they’ve never written an article accusing you of bonking all your leading men.” Pippa looks at Hecate as she says it and Nathaniel can’t hold it in. The thought of Hecate Hardbroom, the very gay Hecate Hardbroom, the one who thinks most men are utterly useless, bonking any man at all is pure hilarity. He’s never heard something quite so funny and he can’t stop laughing. He nearly doubles over with it.

“Aw, mate,” he shakes his head, tears in his eyes, as he ruffles Pippa’s hair. Hecate’s through the door before he can say anything more enlightening about the situation and Pippa is following her, and the crowd outside is screaming and there’s no chance to explain to Pippa just why her statement was so damned hilarious that he still can’t breathe.

* * *

Ada walks through the warren of rooms and down twisting hallways until she reaches Hecate’s dressing room door. She knocks lightly and sticks her head in. Hecate turns to look at her and Ada gets right to the point.

She holds out the headshot she’s carried with her, thrusting it in Hecate’s direction and hoping this time Hecate doesn’t put up the same fuss as she did last time. 

“Your new Glinda.” She doesn’t give Hecate time to react. “Coming up from the Australian tour.”

Hecate looks gobsmacked but she doesn’t try to complain. She just takes the headshot and nods and it’s the best reaction Ada could have hoped for. She leaves before Hecate has a chance to argue.

* * *

“There’s something off,” Dimity says as she lounges on a bench in the costume shop. “I mean, things have been going great for _weeks_ , critical raves, sold out shows, now all of a sudden, Hecate’s barely hitting her marks. Pippa’s out there trying to make up for it, but that’s just throwing _her_ off. I don’t understand it.” She’s seen Hecate play Elphaba so many times, she can see it in her sleep, and despite Hecate’s wailing complaints, Pippa had come in and fit herself perfectly into the space Hecate reluctantly made for her. Now, something is wrong.

“I know you don’t, love.” Julie walks across the costume shop and takes Dimity’s hand before placing a quick kiss on her lips. “Maybe there’s nothing to understand?” she says as she sits. “Maybe they just had a bad night? Though, I have noticed Miss H being a bit cooler to our Miss Pentangle the past couple of days.” 

“And they were finally getting on.” Dimity nearly pouts and Julie laughs at her good-naturedly. She kisses Dimity’s temple. 

“As much as anyone gets on with HB, you mean?”

“No, I mean they were genuinely getting along.” 

“Well, maybe they’ve had a fight or something. You know how temperamental Hecate can be.” Julie stands and pulls Dimity up with her. “Don’t you worry about them. Millie’s show opens tonight, so you’d best be focused on that or she’ll be very cross with you.” 

Dimity smiles broadly as she tries to put Hecate and Pippa out of her mind. “Well, we wouldn’t want to keep Millie waiting. You can’t stop the beat after all.” 

“No, you certainly can’t.” Julie puts her hand in the crook of Dimity’s elbow as they leave the costume shop and head toward the street.

* * *

Pippa has a plan. Saturday night’s performance was unacceptable and she won’t have it happening again, so she’s going to drag Hecate off on a day trip and find out what the hell is going on with the other woman if it kills her. A few weeks ago, Hecate might have, in fact, killed her, but they were past that. No, something else is bothering Hecate and Pippa is determined to find out what it is. Besides, she _likes_ Hecate, thinks maybe Hecate likes her too, and she _doesn’t_ like it when Hecate is cross with her, or whatever is going on. 

It’s early, but she wants to have as much time as possible for her interrogation, so she ignores the hour and presses dial on Hecate’s number on her phone screen. She’s already halfway to Hecate’s flat and taps her fingers against her steering wheel as she waits for Hecate to pick up. 

“Hello?” Hecate’s voice sounds terrible, but in a groggy way rather than sounding ill. 

“I need to get out of London for a bit, so I’m driving up to the Cotswolds for the day and you’re coming with me.” She states it as if it’s an indelible truth and hopefully leaves no room for argument. 

“Am I?” Hecate responds, but she doesn’t sound completely put off by the idea, so Pippa counts it for a win. 

“Yes, and we’ll probably do a bit of walking so wear something sensible. And bring a jacket.” She hangs up as soon as she says it. The key to this plan is to not let Hecate have time to think about what’s going on, because Pippa is fairly certain that if she does think about it, she’ll come up with some objection or resistance and Pippa is too determined for that. 

She beeps her horn as she pulls up outside of Hecate’s flat and miraculously the other woman appears a moment later. She barely waits for Hecate to get in the car before she pulls back into traffic. Now, Hecate is well and truly stuck. Unless she wants to jump into moving traffic, she won’t be getting out of the trip. 

Minutes go by in silence before Hecate says something. “What’s all this in aid of?”

Pippa glances over and sees Hecate fidgeting with the hem of her jacket and Pippa doesn’t know if she’s ever seen Hecate fidget before. 

“I told you, I felt I needed to get out of London for a few hours.” Pippa huffs. “I thought a bit of time in the country would do me some good.”

“Yes, but why am _I_ here?”

“I thought it might do you some good as well.” Maybe the time together would make Hecate stop acting so strangely. Anything to make things normal again. 

They sit in silence after that. A good five minutes pass before Pippa speaks again. “It’s been a bit full-on.”

“I’m used to it.”

“Believe it or not, so am I.” Pippa doesn’t like Hecate’s tone, matches it with her own and gets snappish. She thought they were past this, past the idea that she is just a dilettante who doesn’t know what she was doing. “My life’s not all lounging about on Ed Sheeran’s yacht drinking French Martinis off the coast of Monaco you know. I actually work bloody hard.” 

“Ed Sheeran has a yacht?” It’s exactly the wrong thing for Hecate to say and completely beside the point. 

“I don’t bloody know! Probably!” She focuses too intently on the traffic, overtaking someone then pulling back in a bit more recklessly than she normally would. They don’t end up in a wreck on the side of the road though, so it doesn’t matter. 

Silence descends again, tense with unspoken assumptions. 

“You know, I didn’t think that you _don’t_ work hard,” Hecate finally says, though it sounds uncertain. 

“But you didn’t think I would cope with _Wicked_ , did you?” Pippa can’t leave it alone, needs to get it out in the open. “You decided I was just some ten-a-penny pop singer who wouldn’t be able to handle the pace. You didn’t even want me in this cast.” Hecate hesitates and Pippa knows she’s right. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

“Why is this all coming up now?” Hecate finally replies. 

“Why have you been in such a godawful snit with me all weekend?” Pippa needs to know. She needs to, and she isn’t letting Hecate off the hook until she _tells_ her. 

“I have not!”

“You have so!”

“I have _not_!”

“ _You have_!”

“Well what does it _matter_?” Hecate finally explodes. “You’re finishing next Saturday anyway.”

“ _So_?” What does that have to do with anything? She thought they were _friends_ at the very least. Why should her not being in the show change that?

“So then we don’t have to see each other ever again, do we?”

“Oh.” _Oh_. That’s it then. The whole friendship, it had only existed in Pippa’s mind. Hecate didn’t feel the same way. She couldn’t wait to be rid of her. “I see.” 

Hecate is staring at the floor, as if she’s ashamed she’s finally let Pippa know how she really thinks of her. Tears gather at the corners of Pippa’s eyes and she doesn’t want to cry but it happens anyway. She swallows against them turning into outright sobs though. 

“I’ll take you home.” She tries to push all of her emotions back inside and extricate herself from this situation as gracefully as she can. 

“What?” Hecate sounds as lost as Pippa feels. 

“I’ll take you home. I shouldn’t have dragged you out here in the first place. I don’t want you to feel you need to see _me_ more than you absolutely have to.” It’s the only thing to do. She’s gotten her answer and now she regrets it. She should have just left it alone, but she always has to push. One day she’ll learn better. Maybe this’ll be the lesson to teach her to leave things alone. 

“I wouldn’t have come if I hadn’t wanted to.”

Pippa can’t respond. She _can’t_. She’ll just start crying again.

“Pippa, stop. Pull over.”

There’s something plaintive in Hecate’s tone that makes Pippa listen to her, or maybe Hecate can’t stand to be in the car with her anymore. Either way, she finds a side street and a parking spot. She stops the car, turns it off, but refuses to look at Hecate. 

“I’m sorry.”

Pippa shrugs. What else can she do? 

“I am. I’m...I’m sorry.” 

Pippa still can’t look at Hecate. She looks at the buildings around them instead. “I just,” she says, “I thought—“ She can’t finish the sentence. It’s too humiliating.

“You thought…?” Hecate follows up, asking for the rest of the sentence Pippa can’t finish. But really, there’s nothing left of her dignity now. 

“I thought we were friends.” 

“You did?”

Does Hecate really have to rub it in? Of course she thought they were friends. What else was she supposed to think? She feels the tears returning, the tightening of her throat and the pursing of her lips. 

Hecate reaches over and pulls one of Pippa’s hands into her own. 

“Pippa—“

“I feel like a bloody idiot, now.” She’s still looking out the window. She can’t dare to look at Hecate and find even more confirmation of her stupidity. 

“You _are_.” 

“An idiot?” She knows that. Does Hecate have to rub it in?

“My friend.” Pippa finally tentatively looks over at Hecate and tries once again to rein in her tears. “At least, I’d like it if you were.” 

Pippa bites her lip. She isn’t sure Hecate is telling her the truth or simply what Pippa wants to hear.

But Hecate goes on with, “And I have been…brusque, the past few days. You’re absolutely right.”

Pippa pulls her hand out of Hecate’s and wipes her eyes before running a hand through her hair. It’s hard to recompose herself even as she starts to believe Hecate’s pronouncement. 

“Why?” She needs to know. And wasn’t she just telling herself not to push? Oh well. She never would learn. 

“I suppose I thought once your run was up, that would be it. That you’d go back to your normal life and forget all about us. I’m not good with...with change, and it’s quite rare that I get along with someone in the first place, and I’ve enjoyed working with you, but I know how busy you must get—“ 

Pippa slides her hand back into Hecate’s, suddenly glad that she pushed for the real answer. She swallows again, clearing her throat to respond, but Hecate continues before she can. “You’ll hardly want me hanging about, getting in the way.”

And Pippa’s heart breaks again, not for herself this time, but for Hecate. She could _never_. So that’s what Heccate’s been on about. How could she possibly think Pippa would just disappear? Hecate sounds so _vulnerable_ and Pippa only thinks to match it.

“I’ve seen everything you’ve ever been in,” she says quietly. “Since _Three Tall Women_. Whenever I could. Everything.” She meets Hecate’s eyes at her confession and waits. 

The rain starts splattering against the windscreen and the moment ends. They both pull back, clear their throats, wipe their eyes and push their hair back behind their ears. Pippa finally looks away from Hecate, looks back out the window. 

“Bugger.” She frowns at the change in weather but her natural optimism returns. “We can still go if you like? It’ll probably go off.”

“Or it’ll snow.” They both laugh. The air feels lighter somehow. Their twin confessions giving way to an ease their relationship hadn’t had before. 

“Well, if it doesn’t, we can at least have a nice drive and stop at a pub for lunch.” Pippa nods having made up her mind. She starts the car again without further consultation.

* * *

_I catch a paper boy_   
_But things don’t really change_   
_I’m standing in the wind_   
_But I never wave bye-bye_

Pippa’s voice blares from the speakers. 

“Dimity got hold of my phone and downloaded all your albums!”

_Dimity_. As if Pippa believes that. She laughs for the next two hours.

* * *

Allison sucks in a breath when she sees her. She’s ambling down the river bank, throwing the occasional rock in and otherwise being bored. The town she lives in is boring, particularly on a Sunday, but finding Hecate Hardbroom in person sitting on a bench by _your_ river is not boring. 

Hecate is her favorite Elphaba ever. She thinks she’s even better than Idina. Not that she’s officially seen either of them, not really. But she’s seen fuzzy recordings of them both, and several other productions, on her computer screen and Hecate is definitely the best. She would kill for tickets to see her with Pippa Pentangle. She can only imagine how insane that would be. Her dad would never spring for tickets though. Too frivolous for him and she isn’t old enough to go to London by herself, though really, in her opinion, fifteen is absolutely old enough. She’s already got the train route mapped out.

Someone, some _woman_ has her head pillowed on Hecate’s lap and Alison wonders if that means the rumors are true. Maybe the other woman is Hecate’s girlfriend. She would go over and ask for an autograph and a selfie, but they’re on the other side of the river and by the time she makes it to the nearest bridge, they’ll probably be gone. 

In fact, they’re standing up now and ohmygod that’s Pippa Pentangle! Are Pippa and Hecate dating?! They’re holding hands like they’re dating! No one would ever believe her. She should take a picture! She _needs_ to take a picture! Allison reaches for her phone and damn it, her dad took her phone when he grounded her. 

She’s not getting her picture and she’s not getting her autograph, and Hecate and Pippa have started walking away. She wants to throw a tantrum, but she’s too old for that. Still, her dad is horrible and she hates him. Today is still awesome though. She basically got confirmation that her favorite actress ever is gay and dating a superstar. Nothing could be more awesome than that.

* * *

Tom likes his inn and he likes his job and he likes his patrons. Even on the long days, he can always find something to talk about with most of the people who visit his establishment. Like the women seated in the corner. He hadn’t thought he’d get into a conversation about the gardens at Blenheim Palace with two women so clearly from the City, but there you have it. People are fascinating and they constantly surprise him. 

Allison wouldn’t agree, but Allison is fifteen and only cares about theater and about the dates she _isn’t_ going on. It took him a little while to wrap his head around the ‘pan’ thing, but he thinks he gets it now. Doesn’t matter though. She still isn’t dating until she’s at least 16. 

He’s bringing coffee to the two women from London, something about them looks familiar, and he can’t help but overhear their conversation. 

“Oh, you remember! When I said that thing about you and your leading men; Nate’s never bloody dropped it. He keeps coming past my dressing room and saying things like ‘ _I’m snogging her for all I’m worth every night, babe! I’m doing my best, but I don’t think it’s working!_ ’ I knew he was taking the mick somehow, but-”

He puts their coffee down and gives them a smile before he retreats to clearing a few tables nearby. He can’t help that his curiosity has been peaked. He tries to be subtle as he listens in though. 

“Is it a problem?” the woman with black hair asks and he finds himself wanting to know the answer too. He worries about Allison, of course he does, and he shouldn’t take the answer as a sign of how Allison might be treated, but he can’t help it. 

“Eh?”

“My...orientation.” 

“Hardly!” Tom lets out a breath and finishes clearing the table. He doesn’t want it to be obvious that he was listening in, so he should probably stop listening in.

* * *

Tom can’t help it if his job keeps bringing him around to the two women’s table. He’s curious about their conversation and curious about where he might know them from. This time he’s seating a family at the table just to their left when he hears them. 

“My gaydar’s atrocious though. That’s probably what Nathaniel thought was so flipping funny. He knows about you, too, obviously,” the blonde says. 

“Well, yes,” the other woman manages. “At least, he knows I find him about as appealing as that wall, although without any of the intrinsic charm or value.”

He barely stops himself from laughing. 

“So, you’re not out?”

“I’m not... not out,” The woman fidgets with the handle of her coffee mug. “I’m not exactly... in, I just…”

“Don’t want to talk about it?” He wonders if that’s the case as he leaves the area again, not hearing the answer.

* * *

Tom hears, “Part of me wishes _I_ could just announce it to the papers and get it over with, but somehow I don’t think anyone’s going to care as much about me.”

The blonde follows it with, “thank you. For telling me,” as Tom walks up to see if they need anything. They’re holding hands now and Tom wonders if it’s from the emotion of their conversation or something else. He doesn’t ask though. It would be intrusive. He can’t stop himself from asking what they do, though. 

“Oh, we’re both in a show in the West End,” the blonde answers. “But normally I’m just a singer.” 

That’s when it hits him. The woman he’s been serving all evening is _Pippa Pentangle_ , and he might not be caught up on pop culture, but even he knows who she is. She must see it in his eyes because her smile turns brighter, like it’s part of her celebrity persona. “Is there any way I can get a picture? For my daughter? She’s obsessed with the theater.” 

They both smile and nod and he pulls out his phone before positioning himself between them. The picture is over in a flash, but Allison is going to love it, even if she’ll be sorry to have missed them. 

They offer him two tickets to the show and he can’t possibly accept, but they insist and he’s already planning a quick trip to London to surprise Allison. She’ll be over the moon about the whole thing. The women slip away after that and he lets them go. He has other patrons to tend to and a daughter to find.

* * *

Gwen claps at Julie and Dimity’s announcement of their engagement and coos over their matching rings the Tuesday before Pippa’s last show. Hecate looks poleaxed at the news even though Dimity and Julie have been together for ages and Dimity spent the last week nervously flitting about the theater with a ring in her pocket, telegraphing her intentions to everyone except Julie, and it seems, Hecate. The woman really does need to open up her eyes to people around her sometimes. But then Hecate wouldn’t be Hecate if she suddenly became friendly and outgoing. 

Gwen takes Hecate’s arm in hers as they head back toward their dressing rooms. “It’s like a magnet for couples, this show isn’t it,” she says as she daydreams about young love. “Narcissa and Nathaniel, me and Algie, Julie and Dimity, and now…”

“And now?” Hecate asks. 

“Esme and that boy who does Boq. Whathisname. Charlie. I hear they’re stepping out.” Gwen says with a knowing smile. Whatever is going on between Hecate and Pippa is their business, but that doesn’t mean she can’t prod just a little. Just a bit of good fun and possibly the push Hecate needs. “Why? Who did you think I was going to say?” 

They’re at her dressing room, and she isn’t going to give Hecate a chance to accuse her of anything. She disappears inside and swiftly closes the door behind herself.

* * *

It’s Thursday and the bubble breaks. Dimity can’t believe it. Well, she can absolutely believe it because it seems like they can barely go a full month without the bloody bubble breaking. She absolutely hates the thing, but it’s her job to keep it running, so she grabs a spanner from her toolkit and vows to dismantle the entire contraption if she has to. Luckily, that isn’t necessary and the thing judders back to life fifteen minutes before the curtain is set to go up. 

“If I die in this thing,” she hears Pippa say to Hecate, “know that I have loved you.” 

Dimity just about dies with laughter. She turns to look at Hecate and what she sees surprises her. There’s a soft expression on Hecate’s face, relaxed, with her lips parted as if she’s about to say something. That’s when Dimity realizes something else is going on between Hecate and Pippa. Curious. But then, hadn’t she seen a hint of that after their first rehearsal? Some spark in the air between them? She’d confused it for animosity at the time, but what if it really was something else? Pippa’s out of her sight by now and Hecate’s gone off to wait for her cue, but there’s something going on between them. Dimity would put money on it.

* * *

Clarice needs to speak to Pippa about her costume, but Pippa isn’t in her dressing room. Which means she’s in Hecate’s dressing room, and while she’s never been afraid of Hecate per se, she does have a healthy amount of _respect_ for her. She approaches the door and Hecate and Pippa are clearly having some sort of conversation that she shouldn’t interrupt. 

“It’s just, I’ve so loved doing this, you know?” she hears Pippa say. “I’ve been so excited for it, and nervous about it, for months and months, and it just seems to have gone by in a flash. I just...I really wanted to make an impression with it, and...and _do well_. I wanted them to see I was _good_ at it. And now it’s all done.”

Clarice wants to bust in and get on with her business, but Hecate starts talking before she can knock. 

“There’ll be other shows.” 

Pippa sniffs and says, “But they won’t be _this_ show.” And Clarice can’t help but think she’s right about that, but Pippa probably means it more poetically than Clarice does. 

“I dare say they’d take you on the tour.”

“You know what I mean.”

“I know what you mean.” Hecate’s voice has gone softer than Clarice ever remembers hearing it. “And if you want my opinion, you weren’t just _good_ at it: you were _extraordinary_. I know we didn’t exactly get off on the right foot, but I really did think that, after the first rehearsal. If you don’t mind me saying so, I was...I was impressed.” 

“You have no idea how much that means to me, coming from you. Especially now that I know you so well.” 

Clarice can’t deal with all of these emotions anymore, so she knocks on the door and hopes they don’t eviscerate her for interrupting them.

* * *

Allison absolutely cannot believe that she’s sitting in the audience for Pippa Pentangle’s _last_ performance as Glinda. She can’t believe that _these_ are the tickets her dad got. She reaches out, takes her dad’s hand, and squeezes it tight.

* * *

Dimity must have seen _Wicked_ hundreds of times by now, but she’s never seen something quite like this. Pippa’s final performance is proving to be spectacular. She has the entire audience in her palm of her hand and Hecate’s matching her note for note. Still, the performance is undeniably about Pippa and everyone knows it. Dimity almost misses calling a cue because she’s so wrapped up in what’s going on on stage but she recovers at the last minute. 

She can see Pippa crying her way through _For Good_ and almost starts crying with her. No one’s ever said that Dimity isn’t in touch with her emotions. They’re coming closer and closer to the end of the musical and Dimity finds herself not wanting it to end, but end it must.

* * *

Pippa throws herself into Hecate’s arms as soon as _For Good_ is over, holding her as tightly as she can. It feels like they hug forever and Pippa isn’t resisting the urge to bury her face in Hecate’s neck and start crying, though whether from elation or mourning, she isn’t sure. Eventually, she has to let Hecate go and she misses her presence in her arms immediately but the show isn’t over yet.

When it does end, they stand behind the clockwork face and clasp at each other’s hands like nothing in the world will pull them apart. They take their bows and only then does Hecate let go where Pippa can bow alone as the audience roars with approval. 

Egbert makes his way on stage and the bouquet of flowers in his arms is big enough to topple Pippa over if he ever hands them to her, but she has other plans and turns to Hecate instead, reaching for her hand once more. Hecate’s hand is warm and soft and steady in hers and she looks up into Hecate’s eyes and silently asks a question.

Hecate nods almost imperceptibly and Pippa beams at her. Then she can’t wait any longer and she leans up and in and brings their lips together. She’s instantly overwhelmed. The lights and the applause fade away and her world narrows down to Hecate and nothing but Hecate. 

She feels the theater vibrate with the noise from the audience and the cast, but that’s inconsequential. What matters is the way Hecate’s lips feel under hers and the way Hecate’s hand is resting on her waist and the smell of sweat and green paint that she will always associate with this moment. 

Eventually, the curtain comes down and the rest of the cast rushes in to congratulate Pippa on her final performance and on the kiss that’s going to get covered in every celebrity magazine out there, the tabloids, and even a few legitimate news outlets. 

When she looks up again, it looks like Hecate is about to faint, so Pippa nods when Hecate motions with her head that she’s going back to her dressing room. She gets caught up in the crowd again and it feels like hours pass before she can get away, though she knows it’s only been a few minutes. 

She makes her way to Hecate’s dressing room and finds her brushing her hair after de-greenifying herself. 

“Hi,” Pippa says softly. 

“Hi.” 

They smile at each other for a minute, Hecate’s smile surprisingly shy. Pippa steps into the room and closes the door softly behind her. “I know you were being facetious when you said you’d like to take an advert out in the paper, but I’m not sure we can avoid it now.”

“You did just snog me in front of two and a half thousand people.” 

Pippa wants to go to Hecate and kiss her again but instead she laughs and says, “that wasn’t a snog! I thought I was very restrained.”

Hecate’s smiling at her and it’s the biggest smile she’s ever seen on Hecate’s face but she has to ask anyway, “You didn’t seem to mind though?” 

“It was a bit unexpected.”

“Was it? I thought I’d been rather obvious.” Pippa looks down shyly, so she’s surprised when Hecate kisses her again. She knows already she’s never going to get tired of Hecate’s kisses. 

“How about tonight,” Pippa murmurs as they part, staying close enough that she can still feel Hecate’s breath, “we go up for a drink and endure what is bound to be a thorough ribbing from everyone else in the cast, and then you let me take you home with me, and tomorrow we can plan our second date.”

“ _Second date?_ ”

“Mm-hm.” Pippa nods and looks up at Hecate through her lashes. “After this I’m counting last Sunday as a win.”

“I can’t,” she says, and what does she mean she can’t? She had thought they were on the same page. 

“I have to feed my cat.”

The feeling of relief leaves her giddy and she starts laughing. 

“Oh god,” Pippa wraps her arms around Hecate’s neck. “Please, tell me you’ve gone full method and you have a _black cat_.”

“I had her before I was cast!” Pippa doesn’t even try to stop the laughter that bubbles up and somehow that inspires Hecate to kiss her again. 

“Then how about _you_ take _me_ home, and you can introduce me,” Pippa says when the kiss ends, mirth in her eyes. 

She kisses Hecate again before they finally have to part. Pippa has to make an appearance at the party after all and if Pippa is going, Hecate is coming too.

* * *

Pippa wakes up when Morgana lands on her stomach the next morning. She’d been standoffish when Hecate had first introduced Pippa, but apparently sleeping in her mistress’s bed is enough for Morgana to warm up to her. 

She and Hecate hadn’t done anything the night before. Well, nothing more than kiss really, but it had gotten late and Hecate had insisted she stay, so here she is, waking up in Hecate’s bed, wearing a pair of her leggings and an old _Evita_ t-shirt. Hecate is sprawled out beside her still asleep. She looks dead to the world, face slack in relaxation, with an arm wrapped under a pillow propping her head up. 

That doesn’t stop Pippa from moving the cat and curling herself up around Hecate’s back, pressing her arm against Hecate’s stomach. She thinks she could stay here forever and wonders if she’ll get the chance. For now, at least, she’s going to hold Hecate as she sleeps and maybe they’ll get brunch together when Hecate wakes up and then they’ll see what happens. Pippa’s looking forward to seeing how bright they can shine.


End file.
